More than 100 children, all students of schools in various districts brought here for participation in three-day celebrations of "Bihar Diwas", on Thursday took ill, sending the administration into a tizzy.
The girls and the boys have been in Patna since Tuesday when the state's 110th foundation day commenced and many of them complained of gastric problems in the morning of their final day of stay.
"Till noon, 156 children had reported complaints of diarrhoea and vomiting. Most however recovered after treatment at the Gandhi Maidan where the celebrations are on. The exact cause of their illness would be known only after an inquiry", Patna Civil Surgeon Vibha Singh told PTI.
However, condition of a dozen students had deteriorated significantly and they had to be rushed to the PMCH, Bihar's largest government hospital, where their condition was stated to be out of danger.
"It appears to be a case of infection. It may not necessarily be food poisoning. Having proper food with dirty hands can also trigger such symptoms", said PMCH superintendent I S Thakur.
However, many students blamed their health problems on poor boarding facilities.
"The food we were being given was awful. Water container looks dirty and maintenance staff spray disinfectants late in the night, making it difficult for us to sleep. All these factors have contributed to our illness", said Shivani Kumari, a student from Madhepura.
Many students also complained that the school buildings in the city where they were put up at night did not have clean toilets.
Meanwhile, the issue was also raised on the floor of the state legislative council by BJP member Sanjay Mayukh.
"I was worried to learn about so many children falling ill after being brought here for Bihar Day celebrations. I have demanded an inquiry and action against officials responsible for the poor upkeep", Mayukh told reporters outside.
The three-day celebrations were marked by cultural programmes besides a book fair and a crafts market modelled after the "Dilli Haat" of the national capital.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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